Median Income
$66,950
household / year
Median Home Value
$288,800
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,422
gross / month
Cost of Living
103
national avg = 100

Is Bel Air, MD a Good Place to Live?

Bel Air is a small city of 10,630 in Maryland, with a median household income of $66,950 and a 5.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 103 (US average = 100), which is 3% above the national average.

Strengths: Bel Air stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Bel Air is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Bel Air city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 102.7

Bel Air's overall cost of living index is 102.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Bel Air costs roughly 3% more than the average American city.

Metric Bel Air, MD National Avg
Median Home Value $288,800 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,422 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 59.6% 65.9%
Median Household Income $66,950 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Bel Air's violent crime rate is 239.9 per 100,000 residents — 37% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
239.9 /100k
Property Crime
2005.4 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Bel Air is served primarily by Harford County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Bel Air, MD National Avg
School District Harford County Public Schools —
Elementary Schools 33 —
Middle Schools 9 —
High Schools 11 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 14.2:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 37.2% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 92.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Bel Air sees average highs of 41.5°F in January and 86.4°F in July, with 50.5 inches of annual precipitation and 28.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricBel Air, MD
Average High — January41.5°F
Average High — July86.4°F
Annual Precipitation50.5"
Annual Snowfall28.8"

Demographics

MetricBel Air, MDNational Avg
Population10,630—
Median Age41.438.9
Unemployment Rate5.0%3.7%
Avg Commute Time27.6 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)81.2%59.3%
Black or African American4.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino6.0%18.9%
Asian4.5%6.3%
Under 1818.3%22.2%
65 and over21.7%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Bel Air North, MD 2 mi Bel Air South, MD 3 mi Pleasant Hills, MD 4 mi Fallston, MD 5 mi Abingdon, MD 6 mi

Bel Air vs Other Cities

Bel Air, MD vs Bel Air North, MD Bel Air, MD vs Bel Air South, MD Bel Air, MD vs Pleasant Hills, MD Bel Air, MD vs Fallston, MD Bel Air, MD vs Abingdon, MD

Frequently Asked Questions

Bel Air's cost of living index is 103, where 100 is the national average. That puts Bel Air roughly 3% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $288,800 and median rent is $1,422/month.
Bel Air's violent crime rate is 239.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2005.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Bel Air are operated by Harford County Public Schools. The district has 33 elementary, 9 middle, and 11 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.2:1. 37.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Bel Air, MD has a population of 10,630, a median household income of $66,950, and an unemployment rate of 5.0%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Bel Air averages 41.5°F in January and 86.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 50.5 inches with about 28.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Bel Air, Maryland is 10,630 with a median age of 41.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Bel Air: cost of living index 103 (100 = US average), median home $288,800, median household income $66,950, crime index 76 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Bel Air side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.